North Star Spirits Tamnavulin 12 Year Old
Key Facts About This Single Malt Scotch
Bottler: North Star Spirits
Founder: Ian Croucher
Distillery: Tamnavulin
Region: Speyside, Scotland
Age: 12 years old
Distilled: May 2013
Bottled: March 2026
Cask Type: Four refill PX octaves
Alcohol by Volume: Cask strength, 57.9%
Outturn: 263 bottles
Bottled: Natural colour and without chill filtration
Bottle Size: 700ml
Tamnavulin 12 Year Old tasting notes
Nose: Stewed orchard fruits, vanilla, and toffee, well balanced with a touch of oak spice.
Palate: Rich and rounded with notes of sweet malt, caramel, cooked orchard fruits, and a touch of oak spice.
Finish: Long and warming, sweet with gentle spice and soft oak.
About this North Star whisky
This Tamnavulin 12 Year Old from North Star Spirits, founded by Ian Croucher, is a rich and approachable Speyside single malt that demonstrates the impact of active sherry maturation on a naturally soft and fruity spirit.
Distilled in May 2013 and bottled in March 2026, this whisky was matured in four refill PX octaves — a highly active cask format that dramatically increases interaction between spirit and wood. Octaves are significantly smaller than traditional casks, accelerating flavour development and intensifying texture, sweetness, and spice. The use of refill PX wood, however, keeps the influence balanced, adding richness without overwhelming the distillery character.
Tamnavulin’s spirit is naturally gentle, malt-forward, and orchard-fruit driven, making it particularly well suited to Pedro Ximénez maturation. Here, the PX influence deepens the whisky with layers of cooked fruit, caramel, and soft spice, while still preserving a fresh Speyside core.
On the nose, stewed orchard fruits, vanilla, and toffee lead the way, supported by a subtle oak spice that adds structure and warmth. The palate is rich and rounded, delivering sweet malt, caramel, and cooked apples and pears, all wrapped in a creamy texture with gentle spice running underneath. The finish is long and warming, carrying soft oak, lingering sweetness, and a touch of spice that gradually fades.
Bottled at cask strength (57.9% ABV), with natural colour and without chill filtration, this is a whisky with plenty of depth and texture while remaining highly drinkable. With an outturn of 263 bottles, it’s a compact and characterful release that highlights the synergy between Tamnavulin’s elegant spirit and PX-seasoned oak.
A generous, warming Speyside malt: rich with fruit and caramel, yet balanced by freshness and spice.
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Meet The Founder
Iain Croucher